A True Sheikah
by limerence 11
Summary: As a reward for helping to save Hyrule, the Goddesses give Sheik a chance to be with his love. But can Sheik help his love remember the past? Could a noble hero have room in his heart for a former shadow, when a princess or two, and the occasional sage or innocent ranch hand calls for his heart? Sheik can only hope, but that's more than he's ever had before.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So, this is my first time posting in this fandom, and my first time posting in a couple of years, so I might be just a little bit rusty. Umm, I guess I'll get the obligatory I don't own this franchise, and I make no profit from my works message out of the way. **

**Also, my warnings are that this is going to be a slash fiction, pairing Link and a male Sheik (to those of you who wish to dispute Sheik's gender, feel free to give me your arguments, I find the debate simply fascinating, but know that I won't be changing this story regardless of your irrefutable logic.)**

**Despite having checked over the piece a few times, I'm sure I made several mistakes, so please feel free to notify me of any corrections needed, and I'll see if I can fix them.**

After Princess Zelda had handled the immediate consequences of what would be known to most as "The Legend of the Hero of Time," a debriefing was called to discuss the rebuilding of Hyrule, and how those affected by the events of recent years would move forward. This meeting had been called by the Goddesses themselves, as they felt it their responsibility to influence the realm of mortals because their power had been corrupted and brought Hyrule to the brink of destruction; as such, those who had been invited by the deities knew that their attendance was compulsory. Naturally, a meeting of this nature was held in the Sacred Realm, and the attendees were a very select group consisting of the Goddesses themselves, the seven sages, and the Great Fairies, accompanied by Link's companion Navi.

"Our purpose for gathering is to discuss the events surrounding the bearers of the Triforce, and how we shall move forward." A woman, whom everyone recognized to be a manifestation of Nayru said, effectively starting the meeting, immediately after the last of the guests appeared in the sacred realm. Nayru and her sisters appeared larger than life, as golden women, dressed in their signature colours; Nayru in blue, Din in red, and Farore in green. They did not stand on the same platform as the sages, the platform that each one had taken Link to after he defeated the evil in their temple, instead they levitated a few feet above the ground, not unlike the way the great fairies presented themselves in their fountains.

"The first thing we must do is contemplate the consequences, both good and bad, of sealing the bearer of the Triforce of Power in the prison he created for himself by corrupting the Triforce." Din spoke, seeming to pick up where Nayru had stopped speaking.

Farore then began to speak; "The seal on Ganondorf is imperfect. He will be able to escape his prison eventually, and given the opportunity to do so, we are confident that he will."

The goddesses allowed this news to be absorbed by those in the sacred realm for a few moments. "Princess, we understand this is an odd situation to be in, but you, and everyone here, may speak freely and ask questions of us. Nothing is off limits, and we will answer all that can be understood." Farore added, breaking the silence with an amused laugh.

"Yes, your holiness," Zelda said while bowing deeply, "Why is the seal imperfect?"

Nayru fielded this question. "Right now, the seal is flawless, and if things were to stay the way they are, Ganondorf could never escape; however, the sages themselves are the reason the seal is imperfect. The seven of you have obligations to rebuild Hyrule, and to do so will require you to leave the Sacred Realm and your temple, which will, in time, weaken the seal."

"But do not despair," Farore chimed, "though the deal will be broken, your efforts have bought Hyrule many years of freedom from his evil. Right now, Ganondorf is far too weak to even consider escape; he must lick his wounds for a long while before he will be strong enough to even attempt escape. Furthermore, even if he could, the seal will still be too strong for many years to come. Ganondorf will come again, but it will not be for many generations. Your efforts, and the efforts of Link, the Hero of Time, have given Hyrule a future of peace and hope, and for that you deserve not only the thanks of the people of Hyrule, but our gratitude as well. So for these things, we thank you."

Naryu then picked up where Farore left off. "But yes, the seal is imperfect— and this means that today a prophecy shall be created. When the Evil Sorcerer escapes his prison, there shall always be hope: for Link and Zelda shall be borne again, and Link will once more wield the Master Sword. This champion of courage and the Princess bearing great wisdom shall challenge and defeat the evil force once more. And the sages shall be there to once again seal this evil away and restore peace to Hyrule for as long as possible." All those gathered felt the weight of Nayru's words, and instinctively, they knew that they had just witnessed a prophecy being made.

"But it seems we have one final issue to discuss, for there is one more who has earned our praise. Perhaps, he deserves praise most of all, as he devoted his life to defeating Ganondorf, and yet no legend, well known or obscure, will ever speak of his deeds. Come forth Sheik, a shining example of the good the Triforce can create." Din said, with a tone of softness that seemed almost uncharacteristic of the goddess of fire.

Sheik did not truly appear, but to those gathered it seemed merely as if they realized that he was there. Most of those gathered immediately turned to Zelda, to see if she was still there, which she was. And so was Sheik, which signified to everyone that his presence was the doing and magic of the Goddesses themselves. Sheik faced Zelda and knelt, with a customary salute of bowed head saying "your highness," before turning to the goddesses and kneeling the same way but saying "your holinesses." Farore promptly responded to this, bidding him to stand.

"Sheik. You are a most curious being. I daresay that you truly deserve the name Sheikah, not only for your valiant deeds done in the name of the kingdom and of the Triforce, but because the nature of your existence truly made you a person of the shadows." Farore stated, addressing only Sheik, giving the other members of the conclave an unspoken understanding that for the moment, they were more or less spectators.

Nayru then began to speak. "Indeed, for you are not entirely human, but the shadow of one; created from the magic of the Triforce of Wisdom to both hide the princess and guide the Hero of Time to his destiny.

Unfortunately, you have had to make great sacrifices for Hyrule, even the ultimate sacrifice; unlike the others, it was not a matter of destiny that you had been subconsciously been preparing for, as it was with the sages; nor did you choose to aid Link, as the fairies did. You had no choice in this life, and it was brief, hard, and with little reward. For that, we wish to thank you for all that you have done, without complaint and until now, without reward."

Sheik began to say that it was not necessary, that it had been an honor to Serve Hyrule and the Goddesses, but Din quickly cut him off.

"Nonsense," she said. "We insist. You were not given a proper life, and we wish to repay what we feel we owe you."

Din was silent for a moment before she began again. "Sheik, I can give you glory and power. If you wish it, you can be reborne as a great and powerful warrior king, whose wondrous deeds and conquests will be sung of for centuries to come. All of Hyrule will adore the great King Sheik, and you shall be the king of a prosperous and powerful nation."

Sheik began to think on this not unappealing prospect, only to stop when Farore dove into a pitch of her own. "Sheik, I can give you freedom and peace. You can return to Hyrule, not bound by flesh and blood, but to be free as a part of nature. You can be a part of the spirit I Hyrule itself, and feel joy of true peace and oneness."

Again, Sheik found the offer tempting, but Naryu began to speak slowly, with a knowing smile. "Sheik, I know what you truly want." She paused, as if she was deciding the exact wording, and as she began to speak once more, it became apparent that she was carefully choosing her words. "You wish to love and to protect. What you desire is a beautiful wish. And it is fitting, to end such brutal times, with love... That is why it saddens me to say that I, nor my sisters, nor anyone here, can give you this."

Nayru's choice of words had been sufficiently cryptic, for only Sheik and the Goddesses themselves understood what was being said; however, Sheik wished that he did not understand. Nayru's words had filled him with a sadness and pain he had only felt once before in his life; right before Zelda undid the magic that had created Sheik, revealing herself to Link, and ending his existence.

"But," Nayru continued in her slow and melodious voice, "I can give you the possibility of it. We can give you that much. Truly obtaining what you want is out of our hands, but we can bring you to that which can grant your wish."

Sheik raised his head to look the directly at the Goddesses, and replied simply. "That is more than I could ever ask from you."

"That may be, but you have given more than we could ever ask of you, so we would be glad to give this gift to you. Now will you accept it?" Din spoke in response to Sheik's words.

"Yes."

"Then so be it, and so may this meeting end. You may return to Hyrule, to begin to heal the land." Farore said, and instantly everyone was gone from the Sacred Realm, everyone except Sheik.

The three goddesses then began to speak as one. "Powerful magic has been used recently on him. You should know this. Zelda has sent him back, to live the childhood that was taken from him."

"Does this mean he will not remember me?"

"His memories of these times have been forgotten. But they are not gone completely. He may come to remember you, but it will take time, and that is only if he wants to remember.

We have one final question for you. Are you willing to accept that he may reject you in favor of another?"

Sheik smiled at this question, and thought for a moment before answering. "Yes. If he rejects me, then I shall love him from afar, and it will be enough to know that is happy and loved, even if I do not make him feel this way."

"Then so be it.

_Body of shadows,_

_Mind of magic,_

_Soul of duty;_

_Be free._"

**AN: That is the prologue/first installment of this piece. If anyone wants me to continue or discontinue, please let me know so that I know whether to continue posting or not. Furthermore, if anyone has any questions regarding my creative choices (regarding the writing mechanics or my use and derivation of the canon material) please comment, and I promise I'll respond with the intent to answer your question. I hope to have some actual plot and character development coming at y'alls real soon. Until then, Toodles!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hi again. So, this took me a little bit longer to write than I anticipated or wanted, but I ran into a couple of snags involving the mechanics and background of the story that I had to work through. Anyway, Please enjoy, and write me a review telling me how I'm doing. **

When Sheik woke up it was already past midday, but of what day, he could not be certain, though instinctively (which he came to believe was divine revelation at work) he sensed that it was perhaps 5 moons since he had ceased to exist. After taking stock of his surroundings, he came to the conclusion that he was in a corner of Hyrule Field, not far from the steps leading to Kakariko Village. He wondered how he ended up in this location, as his last memories were of the Temple of Time, but he chalked it up to the will of the goddesses. In fact, he had decided that everything was the will of the goddesses, now that he was supremely aware of the role they play in his life.

Sheik began to take stock of his body, and was relieved to find everything seemed to be in normal order, from the tautness of his tendons and the flexibility of his joints, to the battle suit he had been wearing when he stopped existing. He even found the pack of supplies and civilian clothes that he had stowed away in the Temple of Time laying near him. The only notable difference he could sense was a significantly heavier wallet (which did have a couple hundred more rupees than he remembered having.)

He didn't really know what he was supposed to do, now that he no longer felt bound to the princess or to the goddesses and their power, though he felt grateful to them. Gratefulness was a new feeling for Sheik, as was freedom. Sheik imagined there were many new emotions and sensations he could feel now that he was free of duties.

After a while, he came to the decision that he would have to find someone that could give him information about the world and Link's whereabouts. But he wasn't sure who he could turn to. His previous life had left him with few contacts other than Hero himself. His first thought was Impa, the woman who trained him; he decided against her, for though she was his trainer, she was still a Sheikah bound to duty, and she would probably be bound to tell Zelda of his existence, something he knew he did not want to happen, at least not yet. The thought of Impa did, however, bring his mind to the other sages, and he began to contemplate asking one of them. Rauru, the light sage might help him, as he seemed to have no stake in the matter of Link's heart, and he would certainly recognize Sheik's existence as the will of the goddesses and therefore feel obliged to help him. Sheik decided against seeking him out though, as Rauru now took the form of the owl Keapora Geabora, and not only would the owl be hard to find, but he was also unbearably long winded and generally useless.

Nabooru was also out of the question, as it was well known that she wanted to do things to Link that would make a prostitute blush like a schoolgirl. Furthermore, his gender would make it very difficult to reach and speak to her, as it was rare for a Gerudo to speak to a man. While he was confident that Nabooru would allow him to speak, he would still have to sneak past her guard.

Saria and Darunia would both be helpful, and Sheik knew that gaining them as allies in his endeavor could go a long way in winning Link's heart, but because they could be this helpful to him, he decided against seeking them out just yet. He had never met either of them, and he felt that they would be infinitely more useful later, after he had at least found Link.

Sheik came to the conclusion that Princess Ruto would be his best bet for finding the information he wanted. She was attracted to Link, but Sheik had had direct contact with her, and more importantly, she owed him. He saved her once, and for that, he knew he could get information from her, and she would keep quiet about him and his intentions for a while.

Princess Ruto was most likely in one of two places; either praying at the Water Temple, or overseeing matters in Zora's Domain. Sheik contemplated where he should search first, and unconsciously he grabbed his lyre. He then wondered if he could still use it for teleportation, and this led him to wonder what the extent of his magical powers were now. As he was mulling the question over, he absentmindedly played his lyre, and while doing do he suddenly noticed the markings in the back of his right hand; he still bore the Triforce markings, albeit lighter than when he was Zelda's alter ego. He questioned the meaning behind the marks, concluding that either they were just a reminder of his past life and did not carry any magical significance, or that they indicated that the goddesses still favored him and that they may have given him power a normal Sheikah did not possess. He assumed the former conclusion was correct, but he secretly hoped that the goddesses were still watching out for him. Realizing that these questions could never be answered unless he tested out his magical prowess, Sheik resolved to try his hand at teleportation; softly his fingered etched out the Serenade of Water, and to both his surprise and pleasure, he felt the sensation of being transported, and Lake Hylia quickly appeared before his eyes.

Sheik was happy, but hardly convinced by this show of magic. He knew the Sheikah had ways of teleporting short distances through the shadows; no Sheikah had ever teleported as far as he just had through that method, but he didn't think it impossible. Furthermore, Link had used magic songs many times, and not always while bearing the Triforce of Courage. Still, if nothing else, Sheik could confidently conclude that he at least wielded a small amount of magic.

Throughout his travels, Link griped to himself about the Water Temple more than any other task he endured, so Sheik was slightly hesitant to enter it. When Link thought he was alone, he would complain about confusing and redundant puzzles that involved water levels, and he also had fears of a shadow of himself that lurked in the bowels of the temple. For these reasons, Sheik did not wish to dive into Lake Hylia and come up inside the temple; regardless, he was on a mission, and knew it had to be done.

When Sheik swam into the temple, he did not see the puzzles and enemies Link had faced; with the evil dispelled, the temple had become similar to the Temple of Time, only more watery. This also made the task of finding Princess Ruto considerably easier, as she sat not more than 50 meters ahead of him, clearly deep in meditation. So deep in her thoughts was she, that though she faced face Sheik, she did not notice him until he gently called to her. She peacefully came out of her meditative state, but upon realizing who had brought be back to reality, the Zora Princess became quite alarmed.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in this sanctuary of peace? And to be dressed as you are, impersonating not only a noble Sheikah but a hero of The Ganondorf Affair, that is truly despicable." she said, as she readied herself to combat Sheik.

Sheik remained calm as he answered Ruto's questions. "I am Sheik, of the Sheikah. And I come to this sanctuary seeking the counsel and knowledge of the Sage of Water, Princess Ruto. I do not impersonate anyone, for as sure as I stand before you, I am the person you think I am disguised as."

"You cannot be him, for he is merely a spell and a façade that protected Zelda and guided the Hero of Time through troubled times. If you are the princess, then show your true form."

"You are almost correct; I was a spell of the princess' doings. But now I am a full and free man. You saw the Goddesses offer to grant me a wish, and this is what I have chosen. And so, while I am not the princess, I still show you my true self."

Ruto was convinced when Sheik mentioned the goddesses; only one of the sages, the great fairies, or Sheik himself could possibly know of this meeting. Her gut also told her that the man who stood before her was being honest. Confident that she was in no immediate danger, she lowered her guard.

"If you are Sheik, then why do you seek the sages? If the Goddesses granted you a new life, why would you continue to get yourself involved in the affairs of the Triforce? Were I in your situation, I'd leave Hyrule without looking back, and live a peaceful life far away from all this destruction." Ruto said as Sheik walked toward her.

"I do not seek the sages, I seek you." Sheik replied simply.

"Me? What could you possibly want from me" Ruto asked, with the suspicion that she wasn't going to like what Sheik was going to say.

"I come to collect on the debt you owe me." Sheik said, confirming what Ruto was thinking. Though she suspected that Sheik was for this reason, she still became visibly irritated.

"I owe you nothing. Zelda, under your guise saved me, and I have already repaid her."

Sheik chuckled lightly to himself when heard this. He hadn't expected Zelda to need to take credit for his work this soon after the affair; he had assumed that she would be wary of acknowledging the existence of Sheik, as he had done things that were hardly befitting of a princess.

"Zelda did not save you, I did. Not more than a day after you have Link that token of your engagement, Zelda was secreted out of Hyrule Castle. On that same day, the Hero opened the door to the Sacred Realm. As you know, Ganondorf took advantage of this, and entered the Sacred Realm to claim the Triforce, and in doing so split it into three pieces with one part going to the Hero, and the other to Zelda. The princess knew that she was now in great danger, and she lacked the protection of being kept asleep in the Sacred Realm for Seven Years as the Hero had. So, using the power the Triforce afforded her, she forged me, and locked her consciousness away inside me, until all the sages were awake. During those years, and for the majority of the Hero's quest, I both protected Zelda and I guided the Hero. Incidentally, that also included saving you."

The Zora began to laugh a hollow laugh upon hearing what Sheik said. "Damn, and I signed a very favorable trade agreement with Zelda to repay the debt. Favorable to her that is, my people are hardly benefitting from it."

"Princess Zelda is a very smart woman, and I'm sure that she wishes to prove herself as a strong diplomat and peacetime ruler, as she was absent during the time of war and strife."

"My father said politics could be cutthroat, and Zelda just happens to be more brutal than a Gerudo mercenary. Now what is it that you want?"

"Not much, and certainly not as much Zelda wanted. Just some information."

Ruto acted resigned to her fate, but secretly, she was glad that all she had to give Sheik was information. "Fine, what do you want to know?"

Sheik quickly learned that it was six months since Ganondorf had been sealed, and that Hyrule was currently in the process of rebuilding itself. All the various races of people had sworn their allegiance to the kingdom once more, but there was some resentment, particularly among the Goron and Zora people, as they felt they had not been given their proper dues for having endured the extra hardships under Ganondorf for openly opposing his tyranny. He also learned that there had been some changes in the royal family; the King of Hyrule and Zelda's father had died, and Hyrule was currently being ruled by Zelda's mother, the Dowager Queen, who would release sovereignty when Zelda, who unlike her mother was royal by blood and therefore had a more legitimate claim to rule, took the throne, which was presumably going to happen when she was finished with her current mission to help rebuild Hyrule.

"I just have a couple more questions. Where did the Hero spend the intervening years?"

"Termina, mostly. Apparently he saved them from an evil magic mask that was going to destroy the land." Sheik smiled at the thought of Link saving a nation, even though he was supposed to be having a normal childhood. "He said that he spent that those years looking for a friend, but he couldn't remember who it was. Most people believe that he was looking for Navi."

Sheik contemplated her wording for a second. "And who do you believe he was looking for?"

Ruto paused before she replied, as if she was trying forums he proper way to vocalize her theory. "I don't think he was or is looking for anyone. My bet would be that he's looking for his past. When Zelda sent him back, he didn't retain the memories of his journey, well most of it anyway."

Sheik had assumed that Link wouldn't retain any memories of Hyrule, except for maybe his early childhood with the Kokiri, so he was quite hopeful at the prospect of Link having some memories. "What does he remember?"

"Well, the princess monopolizes Link's attentions, so I don't know everything, but what I've gathered is that Link remembers gathering the Spiritual Stones, placing them in the Temple of Time, and then leaving. He went to Lon Lon Ranch, grabbed Epona, and then exited Hyrule through the Lost Woods. Again, I don't know all the facts, but I heard that there was actually a spell that kept Link out of Hyrule until Ganondorf was defeated."

Sheik was happy that Link remembered part of the past, but at the same time he was disappointed that everything that the Hero remembered was long before he was involved in the Link's life.

"And where is he now?"

"Probably at the castle; Zelda usually keeps him there. She wants him to become a knight and a member of the royal guard, but I don't think he really wants that. If he isn't on her leash, he could be anywhere in the nation. Being perhaps the most loved person in Hyrule, he is often sent as an emissary, as he alone has access to the domain of all races within Hyrule's border. And on the very rare occasion that he doesn't have any royal obligations, he will get on Epona, and explore the country, forsaking as much of society for as long as possible."

Finally having all the information he was going to get from Ruto, Sheik thanked the sage for her information and turned to leave, but Ruto stopped him. "Are we even now?" She asked.

"Almost," he replied. "We will be if you don't mention my existence to anyone. I don't think people need to know that I'm alive yet; it wouldn't help me reach my goals."

"And just what exactly are your goals?"

Sheik smirked, and answered her question as he began to play the Prelude of Light. "I think you already know. You've certainly heard enough to figure it out. Goodbye Princess Ruto." And with that Sheik was gone, leaving Ruto alone once more.

'Love and protect, indeed,' she thought as she attempted to return to a meditative state. Upon failing to achieve the inner calm necessary for her meditation, she said to herself, "if he thinks this means I'm going to give up the chase, then he's dead wrong. After all, Link is my fiancé."

** AN: Now that you've read it, if you would be so kind as to write a review, I would greatly appreciate it! I read every one of them, and they truly do help to keep me going.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hi again. So, I got a comment from the last chapter that reminded me of something I had been meaning to discuss with y'alls. I do not intend for this story to turn into a giant cat fight, or a Zelda bashing story. But I will say that there will be some Hylian politics and matters of court involved, and I could see where one might interpret it as getting a little catty. As for Zelda, it is not my intention to bash her; however she will not be a completely pure character. She is a leader of Hyrule, and this requires some utilitarianism, which isn't always pretty. I see her as a remarkably capable leader, who truly wishes to help better Hyrule, but isn't opposed to step on some toes or use manipulation if needed to achieve her goals. Having said that, you are welcome to interpret the story as you wish, and I welcome any differing views, and would love to discuss why you see what you see.**

Sheik had found few constants during his first life in Hyrule; one of them was the Temple of Time. This was proving to be true for Sheik in his second life. As he stepped off the teleportation platform, he couldn't find any differences in the temple from when he had last been there 6 months ago. In the stillness of the temple, Sheik almost felt as if he was home.

Leaving his reveries of the days spent just watching the pedestal that once held the Master Sword, waiting for the Hero to return to Hyrule from the protection of the Sacred Realm, Sheik began to plan his next move. No matter how he examined the situation, he knew that the next stop would have to be Hyrule Castle. That was the most probable place to find Link, and even if he wasn't there at the moment, Sheik knew that the Hero would eventually return to the castle. Still, it was an unpleasant prospect, for while Link might be there, Zelda wouldn't be far away.

Sheik steeled his resolve for a minute, and then exited the temple without any ceremony; though silently he gave a prayer of thanks to the Goddesses and asked for them to help keep him hidden from royal, and royally bound, eyes. Outside the temple, Sheik considered using the gossip stones to try and glean information about the movements of Zelda and her guards, but decided against it on the off chance that someone else was already using a stone and would notice his presence.

Making it into the castle unnoticed wasn't a difficult task for Sheik, as he only had to sneak past a couple of almost useless guards. But sneaking around inside the castle proper would be another matter entirely, as he would now have to find ways past the ever vigilant eyes that could pierce the shadows and perceive the truth behind a deception. To an untrained eye, it would appear as if there weren't any Sheikah guards, but that was point. Impa had told Sheik that the Sheikah were meant to be a deadly surprise to any unwelcome intruders in the Castle. In fact, he had learned that when the castle was being invaded, protocol was for all members of the Royal Guard to actually abandon their post to help stop the breach. That left the castle seemingly empty and unprotected, and it gave the Sheikah the ability to do what needed to be done to protect the Royal Family without being seen.

The fact that Sheikah warriors didn't strike when others could see them had led rise to the rumor that the Sheikah were a dying race, and that Impa was the last of them. This wasn't true, but as in all gossip, it held a modicum of truth. The Sheikah's numbers had been significantly reduced as a result of the Civil War that had left Link an orphan. During that war, there had been Sheikah who had to fight openly, and most of them died. When the Sheikah disappeared after the war, people had assumed that they had been wiped out. This rumor had been given more evidence in recent years by the act of the Royal family abandoning the castle when Ganondorf had his coup d'état.

The reality was that Impa, the commander of the Sheikah Corps, recognized the futility in trying to stop Ganondorf, especially if he were to obtain a piece of Triforce. Instead, she (and the royal family wholeheartedly agreed) decided to cut their losses and evacuate the castle, so that at least the royal family would be safe. This also allowed the members of the Royal Guard to help the citizens of Castle Town evacuate to Kakariko Village before any harm could befall them.

But luckily for him, Sheik did not have an untrained eye. He could see the little trademarks of a Sheikah in hiding. After all, not only was he created to be a Sheikah warrior at its peak, he had also been personally trained by Impa, the wisest and most powerful Sheikah alive. He knew that while it wouldn't be easy, he was more than capable of slipping past the Sheikah guards unseen.

The first place he went was also the most dangerous: the princess' personal courtyard. Ruto had stated that Link had basically become Zelda's lap dog, and he hoped that by getting physically close to her, he could find Link, and then wait for the opportunity to meet him. Sheik found Zelda in her courtyard, apparently holding a meeting of some sort, but Link was nowhere to be seen.

Not knowing what else to do, but figuring it would be a waste of effort to just leave now after examining only one area of the castle, Sheik then proceeded to the stables, hoping to find Epona there, which could indicate that Link wasn't far from the Castle. Sure enough, Epona was housed in the stable, not far from the horses of the Royal Family. Sheik approached the horse, and fed her a carrot that had been lying nearby, while wondering how she fit in with Link's time travel. Ruto had said that Link took her with him when he left Hyrule, and yet, Sheik clearly remembered occasionally watching and caring for the horse while Link was inside a temple. He got so caught up into the logistics of magic, that he almost didn't the hear footsteps approaching. But when he turned to examine who was in the stable, he found himself to be in the presence of Link himself.

Sheik quickly decided against hiding himself from Link, figuring that now was as good a time as any to introduce himself. "She likes you," Link said, as he discovered Sheik lavishing attention on the horse. "That's rare, she doesn't like most people."

Sheik turned his attentions away from the mare to face Link. Physically, Link looked almost exactly the same as Sheik remembered. But there was a change in Link, and Sheik could sense it. Sheik had protected a boy stuck in a man's body, forced to grow up too fast in a harsh world. The Link that Sheik now looked at was different; he had been given the proper amount of time to grow up, and it showed. Link had a sort of control that could only come with maturing properly, and while Sheik couldn't help but miss the old Link, he was also glad to see that Link was now a man in a man's body.

"Epona doesn't even always like me. Oh, where are my manners? I'm sorry, I'm Link, it's a pleasure to meet you." Link said, the words sounding stiff and practiced, like he had been instructed to say them.

"The pleasure is mine, Hero. I am Sheik, of the Sheikah." As soon as the word was out of his mouth, Sheik wished he hadn't said Hero, as Link didn't remember that he was the Hero of Time.

"Hero? I'm just a diplomat and a knight in training."

Sheik was at a loss for words, and he stumbled to come up with an excuse for why he called Link 'Hero.' After a moment of stumbling, Sheik remembered Ruto's account of the intervening years.

"You are an hero; you saved Termina."

"How did you know that? Most of the court hasn't heard about that Mask."

Again Sheik was fumbling for words, trying to think of a good cover, but this time he was able to think up a very natural response. "It is my job to know about the Castle's occupants, Hero."

Link became excited at this. "So the rumors aren't true? Impa isn't the only Sheikah, and there are more of you guarding the Castle?"

"There are Sheikah warriors guarding the Castle and the Royal family. But the general populace is not meant to know about us; we are able to perform our duties more efficiently that way. People know about Impa because she is the leader of the Sheikah and she personally protects and attends to the Princess."

"Then why didn't you hide from me when I came into the stable. You let me see you, didn't you?"

Underneath his cowl, Sheik grinned at Link's perceptiveness. "I did, Hero."

Link cocked his head ever so slightly as he continued to question Sheik. "Why did you do that? And you should stop calling me Hero—it's too stuffy and formal. Just call me Link."

Sheik didn't pause for a moment before answering Link's query; inspiration had struck him with the perfect reason. "Well, Her- Link, I have been assigned to ensure your safety. Much like many members of the Royal Family, you have been given a personal guardian."

Link's eyes widened at hearing this. "Why? I'm not exactly in danger, am I?"

"No, you aren't. I'm just here to make sure you don't get into any danger. Apparently, someone in charge wants to make sure you're safe at all times."

Link didn't seem that surprised at Sheik's explanation. "Zelda. I know she means well, but she's too protective. I really don't need anyone to protect me."

Sheik had expected Link to say as much, and already had a response prepared. "Hero, I am bound to protect you until I am released from this duty. Unfortunately, you lack that authority, for now at least." He added that last piece of comment so Link could confirm his assumption of the person who gave Sheik the order. "I'm not actually supposed to let you see me, but I thought you deserved to know what lurks in the shadows."

"Why stay in the dark?"

"It's the Sheikah way; traditionally, we don't show ourselves to the public."

"What about Impa? She never hides herself."

"Impa is an exception. She has earned that ability. Impa does not need the shadows to protect Zelda."

"And have you earned that?"

Sheik smiled at that question; he already operated in the light. "You could say that."

Link looked pleased at Sheik's response. "Then it's settled; protect me if you must, but you'll do so in the light, like Impa does."

Sheik tried to hide the pleasure in his voice as he responded, but he wasn't confident in his efforts. "I guess that will work, but there is a tradeoff. You aren't supposed to know that I'm here, so I would appreciate it if you acted as such, otherwise people might think I'm not doing my job properly, which would get me reassigned. Believe me when I tell you that the next Sheikah assigned to you cannot oblige this request. Tell no one about me, at least no one in court. And while at the castle, I will be invisible."

Link thought about the proposition for a moment before agreeing with it. "Well, I guess I'll get a little time to get to know you before you disappear then, because we," Link heavily accented the word, to make it very clear that he meant both himself and Sheik, "Are going to Death Mountain as soon as Epona, and whatever horse you'll be riding, are saddled."

"I don't ride horses. I never learned how," Sheik said, inwardly cursing his lack of knowledge in equestrian matters. He never bothered to learn the skill, as he thought being able to teleport, either through Sheikah methods or through magic music, would be able to get him wherever he needed to go.

"It's not a long journey, and Epona can handle our weight. I guess you'll just have to ride with me on Epona," Link said, smiling awkwardly, because he knew—as did Sheik—that his new guardian would have to ride behind him, like a helpless maiden. "And then, when we're done with the Gorons, We'll make a detour to Lon Lon Ranch, get you a horse and teach you how to ride it." Link strained to get the last few words out, before he devolved into a fit of laughter.

**AN: Now, if you would be so kind as to leave me a little review, it would make my day.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Okay, I'm not gonna pretend that there wasn't a nearly year-long hiatus on this story. Sorry about that. But I return bearing a new chapter, and the intention to finish this story. So please, read, enjoy, and if you wanna say something, leave a review.**

Because he lacked the ability to ride a horse on his own, Sheik rode to Death Mountain on Epona, holding onto Link's waist from behind the entire time. He hadn't ever felt so emasculated before in either of his lives, even with the knowledge that he was the alter ego of a princess. But the Sheikah was willing to endure the slight humiliation because it put him intimately close to Link for an extended period of time. Thankfully, Epona refused to travel farther than Kakariko Village, so much of Link and Sheik's journey to the home of the Gorons inside Death Mountain was done on foot. For Sheik, the journey was of critical importance, as it meant he may be able to introduce himself to Darunia, and potentially make another ally in his quest. He would have preferred a little more time to get to know Link and figure out what it meant to live a free life, but he knew he might never find as opportune a moment to meet the Sage of Fire.

Of course, getting an audience with the Goron chief wouldn't be easy; while the Sheikah had accompanied Link all the way to the entrance of the Goron City, he couldn't enter the city in plain sight. So while Link alone crossed the threshold of the mountain city, Sheik secreted himself away, to find another, more subtle entrance to the city. Having spent a good deal of time waiting for Link outside the entrance to the Fire Temple, Sheik had thoroughly explored the various passages and hidden paths throughout the mountain so the task of entering the city unnoticed wasn't too difficult. Unfortunately, remaining undetected was a more difficult matter. One of the greatest tools the Shiekah used to remain hidden was patience—to wait for the opportune moment to act. But when it came to playing a waiting game, no race could compete with the Gorons, whose affinity with unyielding rocks had taught them a patience no people could match; furthermore, Sheik had never been a particularly patient to begin with, this stemming from the ever-moving nature of his previous life.

Somehow Sheik managed to slip past the stoic guards protecting Darunia, and in the shadows, he listened to the meeting between the Goron chief and the emissary for Hyrule. Much of the meeting was extremely friendly, as Link was the sworn brother of the Darunia, and even the less jovial, more political matters were settled rather quickly and without too much fuss. Throughout the meeting, it became clear to Sheik that while Link wasn't inept at it, he clearly felt uncomfortable discussing matters of trade and diplomacy as a representative of Hyrule.

Eventually the meeting drew to a close, and Link left Goron's chambers laughing, promising to bring some sandstone from the Haunted Wasteland next time he came to visit Death Mountain. Sheik waited for what felt like an eternity for Darunia to dismiss his guards, but when they finally left, he exited the shadows that had hid him for hours, to face the Sage of Fire.

"Darunia, Chief of the Goron people, I am Sheik of the Sheikah. I humbly stand before you seeking your counsel." Darunia was certainly surprised by the sudden appearance of a Sheikah warrior, but in the tradition of a stoic Goron chief, his outward appearance belied his astonishment at seeing a person that supposedly never existed.

"There is no Sheik of the Sheikah people, and you should not know that name." Darunia said as he took a traditional Goron fighting stance.

"Six moons ago, that might have been true. But I am Sheik of the Sheikah." Darunia kept his defensive stance, but he didn't call in guards, which indicated to Sheik that the Goron was at least entertaining the notion that his guest might be real.

"How did you get in here? I only dismissed my guard a moment ago, and even so they wait outside my door, ready to kill to protect me."

"I came in hours ago, with the Hero. I waited until you were alone. I needed a private audience with you."

Though Darunia still had his doubts about Sheik, he slowly left the defensive stance, and adopted a less hostile posture. "You say you want my counsel, but what could a Sheikah warrior want from me? And why are you travelling with Brother Link? He hardly needs a guard. Are you here on the princess' bidding, making sure that everything goes her way? Does Brother Link know you have followed him here?"

"I am here because you are one of the few who knows the truth of the last seven years—of Ganondorf, and the Triforce, and the Hero of Time. You remember me, though we never met. You know me from what you heard from Princess Zelda—or maybe Princess Ruto—have said, and what you saw in the Sacred Realm. I was there too. I travel with the Hero, because he has allowed me to guard him, though he does not need a guard, nor does he particularly want one—he wants a friend and companion, which I will also be for him, if he desires me to be one. I am not here on the princess' orders; this is why I waited for you to be alone—her royal highness does not know I exist yet, and I wish for it to stay that way."

"So you are real. That is what you wished for from the Goddesses. But you have lied to Link, a real Sheikah guard would not act as you have done, nor would he reveal so much." Then Darunia began to laugh and dance, as he came to comprehend the true meaning behind what Sheik and the Goddesses had said in the Sacred Realm. "But you want to be more than a friend or companion to Brother Link!"

Sheik's face was hidden behind a cowl, so Darunia couldn't see the rose color blossom on his cheeks, but Sheik was highly aware of his face heating up. Inwardly, the Sheikah cursed himself for reacting like one of the many maidens he had seen fall for Link, even as he replied to Darunia. "…Yes. If he would have me, I would want nothing more than to be more than a friend to him. If not, then you heard what I had to say to the Goddesses—I would be satisfied with whatever happiness he finds."

"Then I will not oppose you. I only want Brother Link to be happy, and if it is with you, and the Goddesses themselves approve, then I will be happy for you both, Brother Sheik. And I shall not tell the princess about you or your intentions—that is for you to do in your own time. But what do you want from me? I cannot give you his heart." The term 'Brother Sheik' did not go unnoticed, and Sheik was happy to hear he had the support of the Sage of Fire.

"I have spoken to Princess Ruto, the Sage of Water, about Hyrule and the Hero, but she could not answer all my questions, I was hoping you could tell me more. I wish to know as much about the memories of the Hero, and of the people of this nation, as possible. I do not know how to proceed beyond this point, any counsel you can give would be treasured."

Darunia began to answer Sheik's questions as best he could, and for hours he discussed the Hero of Time, and the land he saved. From Darunia Sheik learned that the people of Hyrule had already turned Link's quest into a legend—the Legend of the Hero of Time, even though they actually knew very little of the story; only that a great hero had used time to combat the evil of Ganondorf. To them the Link that now lived in Hyrule was a knight in training that was well received by all people, a man who was working hard to rebuild the nation—which was essentially all that Link knew himself, beyond his adventures with the Spiritual Stones. He also learned that Link felt something was missing from his life—something didn't quite feel right.

"And what do you think it is Chief Darunia? You are closer to him than almost everyone else."

"I could not say, brother," Darunia had become quite liberal in his use of the term brother to refer to Sheik, "But there are many different theories. It's possible he misses his childhood friend Saria. She has completely devoted herself as the Sage of Forest, constantly working to protect the Kokiri, the Lost Woods, and all of Hyrule from the evils of the world. The Lost Woods were particularly poisoned by Ganondorf's evil power, and she works tirelessly to purify it; the Kokiri are too innocent to be able to protect themselves from such evil, and the new Deku Tree is still too young to protect them fully. He says that he has tried to find her, but all he has been able to find has been the whisper of her voice. I haven't spoken to Sister Saria about this, so I don't know what that means or why she is inaccessible to him. She may be what he feels is missing; after all, she was essentially his only childhood friend. I believe she might also be the last symbol of his childhood that Link has and he wants to find her to prove to himself that sometimes life can be simple and pure."

Sheik sensed that this was all the information Darunia had or was willing to divulge. "Thank you Darunia, I see why the Goddesses destined you to be the Sage of Fire. I will not forget your kindness. However, night has fallen, and I am sure that the Hero will begin to wonder if I backed out of our deal and now watch him from the shadows as other Sheikah warriors would." Sheik said this as he bowed low before Darunia, not standing up until the Goron laughingly bade him farewell and good luck. It then seemed as if Sheik melted into shadows that Darunia had not previously noticed in the chambers. From this protective darkness, Sheik then made his way out of the Goron city, completely unnoticed by any of its inhabitants.

**AN: Please, a review would be wonderful.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hey, I'm back, and this time it didn't take me ten months. Go me. So please, enjoy, and if you would be so kind, leave a review when you are finished.**

By the time Sheik rejoined with Link, the latter had already set up camp for the night on a plateau about halfway down the mountain. "Oh Sheik, there you are, I was beginning to get worried about you. Do you want some dinner? The Gorons might be very gracious hosts, but their idea of a good meal is a hunk of granite, so I can't exactly eat with them." Link said, his speech lacking the formality of a courtesian or diplomat.

"Thank you Hero. But I have my own provisions." Sheik said as he revealed a small pouch of nuts and tubers. Link was sitting on a rack, positioned near a small campfire that he had created. He motioned for Sheik to sit down as well, which he did, finding his seat surprisingly comfortable, considering that it was a rock.

"Don't call me that. It makes me sound more important than I am." Sheik found Link's humility charming, even if it was slightly misplaced—Link's importance to Hyrule could not possibly be overstated.

"I will keep that in mind, though it is fair to say that you **are** a great Hero."

Link's smile faded when Sheik made the comment about his heroism. "…Hardly. I left Hyrule, and I wasn't here to help stop Ganondorf, like I told Zelda I would." His voice had gotten quite soft, and was clearly filled with regret.

The Hero of Time's words hung heavily in the air for a long minute, before Sheik finally spoke once more asking "How much do you know about Ganondorf?"

No one had ever posed this question to Link before, so it took him a moment to gather his thoughts before he had an answer. "I…don't know much. He was the leader of the Gerudos, and he attempted to take control of Hyrule using powerful magic. To harness it though, he needed the three spiritual stones of the Kokori, Goron and Zora, and he needed the Ocarina of Time." Upon mentioning the ocarina, Link pulled it out, and began to play with it, fingering melodies he knew how to play. "I collected the three Spiritual Stones, and because Ganondorf attacked Hyrule Castle and forced the Princess the escape, she also gave me the Ocarina of Time. I took these things to the Temple of Time, put the stones on the altar, played the Song of Time, and then…" Link furrowed his brow, trying desperately to remember what happened next.

"You know, it's kind of funny. I don't really remember what happened after that. You'd think I'd remember, because I'm sure it must have been really important—maybe there was some magic, and I'm not supposed to know.

Anyway, that's all I know firsthand, because right after that, I went to Lon Lon Ranch, took Epona, and then I left Hyrule through the Lost Woods; I didn't come back until a few months ago." Link's voice got very quiet as he finished his train of thought. "I don't know what I was thinking. Why did I leave Hyrule when it needed me? Maybe I could have helped that Hero of Time somehow."

Though he was still wearing his cowl—and he had little intention of taking it off to eat until Link had fallen asleep—Sheik smiled at the dramatic irony of Link's words. "Hero—Link, I think you underestimate your contributions to the protection of Hyrule. What you did made it possible for Ganondorf to be defeated. Additionally, you took the Ocarina of Time out of Hyrule, didn't you?" Link nodded an affirmative, "As you said, that Ganondorf needed that, and you kept it safe and far out of his reach, another commendable effort. Without your actions, the Hero of Time would not have been able to do what he did."

"You're a powerful Sheikah warrior, did you know this Hero of Time? Did you fight beside him? Most people don't really know anything about him. Other than Zelda, but she won't talk about it."

Sheik was carefully vague in his response. "My duty was to protect the Royal Family, so I never fought beside him. But I did meet him on several occasions. He was courageous, a little on the shy side, with few words to say, and he had this child-like curiosity that was very befitting of him. The Hero of Time sacrificed greatly for Hyrule, more than even he may ever realize."

"What happened to him? Zelda just says that he left, and nobody else knows anything. It's like he just disappeared." Sheik noticed that in his curiosity, Link had moved closer to him, as he answered Link's questions.

"The princess is right. After Hyrule was safe from Ganondorf, he left. Off to save the day somewhere else, probably. Or maybe he went to go and find something that he lost while saving Hyrule."

Link accepted Sheik's answer, but furrowed his brow and said "But shouldn't he be here now, helping to rebuild Hyrule, and lead it into a new era of peace?"

"Maybe. But we have Princess Zelda and we have you to do that. Did you stay after you saved Termina?"

Link's face became heated, and he looked down in embarrassment as he answered. "No. But Termina didn't need any rebuilding… How much do you know about what I did in Termina, anyway? There are only a handful of people in all of Hyrule who know I've ever been there…"

At that, it was Sheik's turn to have his face heat up. "Not much. Only that you saved it from a magical mask."

Almost imperceptibly, Link got even closer to Sheik. "Do you want to know what happened in Termina?"

There were very few things that Sheik wanted to know more than how Link spent his seven years away from Hyrule; however, he could tell that Link felt nervous about sharing his past, so Sheik tried to be as comforting and nonjudgmental as possible as he replied, saying "Yes, I do. But only if you want to talk about it; do not feel obligated because of my desires."

Thinking about Sheik's words for a moment, Link finally replied "No, I should talk about it. And you trusted me by showing yourself, so I can trust you with this." Link put the Ocarina of Time to his lips, and began to play a song that Sheik didn't know. When he was finished, he began to speak.

"That's the Song of Healing. I learned it in Termina. I guess you could almost say I did some rebuilding even while I was saving Termina." Link paused, and put his lips around the ocarina again, this time playing the Song of Time.

"Do the Sheikah have magic?" Link asked, when he was done playing the ocarina.

"I suppose you could say that," Sheik answered, thinking about the uncertainty he had with his own magical capabilities. "We Sheikah have an affinity with shadows. That is why it is so hard to find us if we don't want to be found. It is also very difficult to hide from or deceive a Sheikah; we can always find the truth. These things can be considered magical, though we are nothing compared to a wielder of magic like the Great Fairies."

Link nodded an affirmative to Sheik's response. "Well, this ocarina is magical. In Termina, when I played the second song, which is the Song of Time—the same song I played in the Temple of Time—I would travel back in time. You see, Termina was under attack from an innocent kid who was possessed by an evil mask. This mask, used magic to cause the moon to fall and crush Termina. That was going to happen three days after I arrived there. So every three days, I had to travel back in time, and pick up where I left off. For weeks, maybe even months, I lived those three days over and over again, never really resting at all… I was too young for that… Then, after those three days finally ended, I basically wandered for 7 years, until the Lost Woods brought me back here."

The fire crackled and sparks flew up as a small log in the fire collapsed on itself. Sheik didn't entirely know how to process this information. He had hoped that Link wouldn't have had any serious troubles when he was away from Hyrule, but clearly that wasn't the case. Though Sheik was comfortable with the silence that had enveloped the two, Link grew increasingly uncomfortable, to the point where it became unbearable for him, and he had to start a conversation.

"What about your childhood? What's it like to grow up as a Sheikah?"

"My childhood was…abnormal; I can't really say what it's usually like to grow up within the Sheikah tribe. But I know that—ˮ Sheik quickly cut off, as a red tektite jumped into the camp. Both Link and Sheik noticed the quadruped at the same time, but by the time Link had stood up and unsheathed his sword, Sheik had already become airborne, directly above the monster; all Link could do was watch as Sheik gracefully twisted in midair, throwing a small blade deep into the tektite's dorsum. Landing behind the tektite, Sheik yanked his throwing knife out of it, causing the creature to dispatch with a puff of smoke.

Calmly, Sheik retook his seat, though Link remained standing and slack-jawed. He had assumed Sheik would be more than capable of handling a lone tektite, but he didn't think Sheik would attack with such speed, grace, and lethal efficiency. "As I was saying," Sheik said, nonchalantly picking up from where he left off in the conversation, "from a very early age, the Sheikah begin training so that they can protect the Royal Family when called upon. We train in a style of martial arts known only to the Sheikah, as well as developing a familiarity with as many different fighting techniques and styles as possible."

Eventually Link retook his seat next to Sheik, acknowledging Sheik's words with a grunt of approval. The two allowed the comfortable silence to remain undisturbed for a very long time, until the fire began to die out into a small group of glowing coals. "Well, I guess that means it's time to go to sleep, eh Sheik?" Link said in response to the last tongues of flames disappearing from their lack of fuel.

Though he didn't want to admit it, Sheik did feel very tired. He hadn't actually slept more than a couple of hours since he had returned to Hyrule, and he was feeling the effects of pushing his body to the point of exhaustion. "Yes, Hero. Feel free to retire for the night. I'll keep watch."

Link turned to Sheik, and laughingly asked "Over what? That tektite was probably the only one on this part of the mountain, and it was only attracted to us because of the fire. I know it's called Death Mountain, but we really aren't in any danger. Since the Hero of Time got rid of the great evil that lived inside the mountain, the Gorons have been able to keep the stray monsters at bay."

Though he didn't want to admit it, Sheik knew that Link was right. Furthermore, he didn't technically need to keep guard over Link, as he wasn't bound to do so, which presented a problem: Sheik simply had no idea how to proceed now that he wasn't charged with protecting Link, because it was all he had ever known. But Sheik recognized that this was as good a time as any to learn what he was supposed to do; though that didn't stop him from being nervous about the situation. "O-okay. I suppose you have a point."

Link had already made himself comfortable on the ground, or at least as comfortable as possible with a thin mat serving as the only barrier between his body and ground. Unfortunately for Sheik, whose camping supplies were still hidden near the Temple of Time, the hard rock of Death Mountain would serve as his mattress, not that he minded all that much; when he was waiting for Link to arrive at the Temple of Fire, he literally slept inside the volcano for nearly a week. He did this because he knew Ganondorf wouldn't search for the princess so close to an area as heavily protected as one of the temples he had corrupted. As Sheik laid himself down, Link turned to him with a quizzical look. "Is this some sort of Sheikah exercise, sleeping on the ground?"

"No." Sheik replied, discovering that he was surprisingly capable at deadpan. "In our haste, I didn't have a chance to grab any luxuries."

Not really knowing how to respond to the slightly sarcastic statement, Link awkwardly laughed; he also moved to the edge of his sleeping mat. "Well, I'd feel weird if you were sleeping on the ground. It's not a bed at the castle, but my mat is better than nothing."

Sheik didn't quite know how to respond to Link's invitation. He felt thrilled about the possibility of such prolonged intimacy, yet he also felt quite guilty, because Link didn't know the whole truth about Sheik or even himself. Eventually Sheik came to the conclusion that it would be rude to not accept Link's offer, and he sidled next to Link on the mat. Though Sheik seemed to become hyperaware of every miniscule sensation or movement, Link was perfectly at ease with his new sleeping situation, and quickly dozed off. As he stared into the sky, trying to find and name all the constellations possible as a way to settle his nerves, Sheik began to relax deeply, and started to hover between wakefulness and sleep. But in this haze, he could have sworn that he saw a group of stars take the face of a heavenly face looking down at him. Though barely lucid, Sheik got the distinct impression of the face winking at him as he finally succumbed to his body's need for sleep.

**AN: I hope this was tolerable; it turned out just a little bit differently than I had intended, but I feared that I was beginning to overindulge in the expository details of the story. Now, feel free to leave a review with your thoughts.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I'm back. So please, read, enjoy, and if you're so inclined, I'd love to hear any feedback you have to give.**

In a cave at the base of Death Mountain, Zelda attempted to cope with her pitch black surroundings; Though she couldn't see at all, the darkness was not what troubled her. "Impa, are we safe? Are we hidden from him?"

Even Impa, who had been trained to remain focused and clam no matter the situation, was rattled by the recent turn of events, but she kept a good façade. "Yes, your highness, these shadows hide us, though he will see the truth beyond my deception eventually. A more permanent solution must be found."

The Sheikah's counsel was absolutely correct, and Zelda knew it. Talented though she was, Impa's shadow magic couldn't protect them forever, and though nursemaid tried not to show it, she was exerting a great deal of energy to make the shadows impenetrably dark. Sooner rather than later, Impa would reach exhaustion and the princess would be left unprotected.

The darkness was so complete within the cave that Zelda could see nothing, which was not an unwelcome situation; this blindness allowed her to focus on her magical knowledge, hopefully to find a way to hide herself permanently. Because of the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda's magical knowledge was incomparable. She now knew of magic more powerful than any that had ever been performed in Hyrule; magic that even Ganondorf—immense power and all—could never withstand. Unfortunately for her, knowing the spells did not mean she could necessarily perform them; many of the spells were simply too intricate or required too much energy for Zelda to successfully complete. As such, Zelda grew increasingly frustrated eventually giving up on the endeavor for the moment.

Most Hylians have a slight fear of the dark, and not without reason—even in peaceful times, the darkness hid serious dangers to the average person. Zelda was not exempt from this fear, though it had been tempered by her upbringing. In this absolute darkness however, Zelda felt no fear, instead she was filled with a sense of profound calmness—which she knew was odd, given the circumstances. But this calmness was ultimately what gave her inspiration. "Impa, exactly how much long can you keep this cave hidden?" She asked as she began to search her mind for a spell that would fit her needs.

"A few days, maybe a week, but I would be beyond exhausted at that point. We have some time; he won't go looking for us right away, I'm sure he has other immediate plans."

"Good, we will need every possible moment you can give us. But if you weren't protecting me, could you keep yourself hidden from him?"

Impa was almost offended by the sheer ridiculousness of the Princess' question "Zelda! What a ridiculous question! I won't leave you—"

"I know you won't ever leave me, but just answer the question." Zelda said, interrupting her guard. She had found the spell that would suit her needs, and now working on a way of introducing her plan to Impa.

"Yes, Princess. I believe that I could keep myself hidden from him—Just as well as I can keep the both of us hidden from him, if need be."

"How long could you keep yourself hidden from him, if it was just you?" Zelda had to keep calm, because she could hear in Impa's voice her discomfort in the topic.

"Indefinitely. If I want it, not even his magic could find me. Why? Do you plan on leaving Hyrule, catching up with your family? We can do that together. I can secret us both away." Escape was definitely not what Zelda was thinking, and Impa knew it, but she made the offer anyway.

"How is my family? Where are they?" Zelda asked, sidestepping Impa's suggestion for the moment.

"Last I heard from the Gossip Stones was that they were safe, and on the border of Hyrule; they are going to seek asylum in Ordona. That fairy boy stopped Ganondorf's poison from spreading beyond the Great Deku Tree and into the Lost Woods, and we Sheikah can see beyond its deceptions and tricks. It can still provide us safe passage out of Hyrule, if you want."

This news was a great comfort to Zelda, as she began to mentally prepare herself for the magic she had to perform. "Good. Ordona is small nation, but we have very good relations with them. They will be safe there. But I cannot leave Hyrule—neither can you. This is my home, I must stay to protect it, and you still have a job to do here.

"I know the way to keep myself safe from Ganondorf, but it will require great sacrifice from us both. I would not ask this of you, if I knew of any other way."

Impa did not hesitate in making her reply. "Princess, think nothing of any sacrifice I may make. I will gladly lay down my life, if it will protect you, even if it is for only a minute more. It is my destiny."

Though Zelda did not know it, Impa clearly saw the smile that graced the princess' face. "Your destiny goes far beyond me, my dear Impa. But you will not have to forfeit your life; in fact, your sacrifice necessitates that you live. I cannot emphasize how important it is that you stay safe, no matter what happens. Impa, can you protect and train another Sheikah?"

Zelda's seemingly random question greatly confused Impa. "Yes, I could. But Princess, I am the last Sheikah in Hyrule. The rest of my people are protecting you family in Ordona, or wherever they ultimately find refuge."

"I know. But can you train one more Sheikah—to be the best warrior there has ever been? And can you keep this Sheikah hidden from Ganondorf?"

"Is this my sacrifice, Princess? Yes, I can do these things. Given time, I can do this. But what does this have to do with hiding you?"

"You will have time, I can promise you that. This Sheikah warrior will be my hiding place—I am going to hide myself within a Sheikah. There is a spell that will seal me inside another—Ganondorf will never find me this way, and even if he does, I will be beyond his reach."

Impa was still confused by Zelda's statements, but she hoped that her confusion was simply because Zelda now possessed the Wisdom of her Triforce piece. "I am glad to know you have found such a complete way to hide yourself. But I still do not understand—why do you want me to find a Sheikah warrior, and where are you going to find a Sheikah that you can seal yourself within?"

"I am not going to find a Sheikah. As you said, you are the only Sheikah in all of Hyrule. But I will forge the consciousness of a Sheikah warrior, and transform my body to match this new consciousness. You will need to train him into become the best Sheikah warrior possible. Actually, better than that; he will have access to at least some of the power of the Triforce, so you will have to teach him as much magic as possible as well."

She was still confused, but at least now Impa seemed to have a basic grasp of Zelda's plan, which was about all either of them could really hope for at the moment. "Yes, I can do these things. What else will you need from me?"

Again Zelda smiled. To her, it almost seemed as if everything Impa said was extraordinarily endearing; something the princess chalked up to an oversentimentality due to her impending extended period of unconsciousness. "Yes, a little blood. It will make forging the Sheikah body easier. But otherwise I just need you to protect and train the person that will take my place. He will know what to do when the time comes.

"This spell is very ancient, and quite powerful. If I wasn't performing it on myself, I doubt I would have the energy to successfully complete it; as it is, this spell will still push me to the very brink. Do not be surprised if the Sheikah is unconscious for several days, as his body will need time to recover from the extreme exertion I will be putting it through."

"Princess, why do you refer to the Sheikah with male pronouns? You and he will essentially share a body, so won't it be a female?"

"This spell will allow me to alter my body to the point of actually becoming a male while my consciousness is sealed within the Sheikah, and I figure that Ganondorf is even less likely to look for me within the body and mind of a male." Zelda couldn't help but feel a good deal of pride at this facet of her plan, as she knew it made for a particularly inspired disguise.

Impa would have laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of Zelda's plan, if it wasn't for the gravity of the situation in which the two women found themselves. But because of their desperation for a solution, Impa seriously considered her charge's idea, and she recognized the brilliance in such a complete disguise. "I daresay you are right, Princess. I doubt anyone would look for you to be magically sealed within a male Sheikah warrior. How soon will you be ready to perform this spell?"

"As soon as I have your blood."

Abondoning her post near the mouth of the cave, Impa walked over to Zelda. "Hold out your hand, Princess." She said as she pulled out a small dagger. Though she still couldn't see her nursemaid, Zelda promptly followed Impa's instruction. Without any hesitation, Impa made a relatively shallow slice across her palm, and placed the now bleeding hand on top of Zelda's outstretched palm. After a moment, Zelda moved her hand out from under Impa's thanking her as she did so. "I have one last thing to say before I begin the spell. No one in Hyrule can defeat Ganondorf, so don't try to raise a resistance against him, it will fail. However, a champion of Hyrule is coming, and he will have the courage needed to oppose Ganondorf's evil power. Bide your time and protect the people of Hyrule until he arrives, that is all we can do for now."

There was no writing of sacred runes, or the recitation of incantations; Zelda merely stepped away from Impa, and raised her right hand in front of her face, causing the symbol of the Triforce on her hand to begin to glow. This glowing intensified, and began to spread beyond the back of her hand, until her whole body was encased in a brilliant light. The light enveloped her for several minutes, only to disappear suddenly with the thud of a body collapsing on the ground.

**AN: Full disclosure—this wasn't going to be a full chapter originally, but it ended up being longer than I anticipated, and I don't think it would quite stylistically fit if I just tacked this part onto another chapter, so it became a distinct chapter. Sorry if it's a little dry, or boring, or disappointing because we don't see the blossoming of Sheik and Link's whatever-you-wanna-call-their-current-relationship . Please, let me know how you felt about all this non-linear junk in the form of a review. **


End file.
